Chioacyl



United States Patent 3,126,375 CYCLIC KETALS 0F 6 HALO CORTICOIDS Howard J. Ringoid, John A. Zderic, Carl Djerassi, and

Albert Bowers, all of Mexico City, Mexico, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Syntex Corporation, a corporation of Panama No Drawing. Fiied June 11, 1959, er. No. 819,545

Claims priority, application Mexico June 13, 1958 35 Claims. (Cl. 260-23955) CH2OR2 In the above equation R and R may be hydrogen or the residue of a hydrocarbon of up to 8 carbon atoms of straight, branched, cyclic or mixed aliphatic-cyclic chain, saturated or unsaturated including aromatic groups, as will be hereinafter set forth in detail. X represents fluorine or chlorine. X represents hydrogen, fluorine or chlorine. Y represents =0 or B-OI-I. Z represents a double bond between C-1 and 0-2 or a saturated linkage between C1 and C-2. R represents hydrogen or a hydrocarbon carboxylic acyl group of up to 12 carbon atoms.

One of the processes for the production of the aforementioned compounds is illustrated by the following equation:

CHzOH CHzOH 3,126,375 Patented Mar. 24, 1964 In the above equation Z, Y, X X, R and R represent the same groups as heretofore and acyl represents a hydrocarbon carboxylic acyl group of up to 12 carbons.

The novel compounds were obtained by treatment of a compound of Formula I with an aldehyde or a ketone under anhydrous conditions and in the presence of a catalyst, such as copper sulfate (cf. Euw and Reichstein, Helv. Chim. Acta, XXIII, 1114 (1940)), dry hydrogen chloride (Huffman et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 71, 719 (1949)), or perchloric acid (Fried et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 80, 2338 (1958)), without using a solvent or in the presence of a solvent inert to this reaction, such as dioxane. The starting materials have been previously described in US. patent applications of Ringold and Bowers, Serial No. 762,232, filed September 22, 1958, and of Ringold, Mancera and Kincl, Serial No. 753,626, filed August 7, 1958, now US. Patent No. 2,997,489.

The new ketal or acetals may be considered as 16,17amethylenedioxy compounds wherein the methylenedioxy group is bound with its oxygens to positions C-l6oc and C17u of the steroid and wherein one or both hydrogen atoms of the methylenedioxy group may be substituted with the residue of a hydrocarbon, saturated or unsaturated, of straight or branched chain, cyclic or of a chain combining these configurations, according to the aldehyde or ketone used for the condensation.

To name some examples; formaldehyde gave (II) with R=R H, paraldehyde gave (II) with R H, and R Me, acetone gave (II) with R=R =Me (namely an acetonide), benzaldehyde gave (II) with R:H, R=C I-I acetophenone gave (II) with R=Me and R=C H diethylketone gave (II) with R=R':et, chloroacetone gave (II) with R=CH CI and R =Me, and furfural gave (II) with R I-I, and

By routine methods, for example by reaction with the anhydride of a carboxylic acid, in pyridine solution, we esterified (II) at 0-21 to produce the corresponding 21- esters of Formula III; the anhydride may be derived from any hydrocarbon carboxylic acid having up to 12 carbon atoms, saturated or unsaturated, of straight or branched chain, cyclic or mixed cyclic-aliphatic, substituted or not with methoxy, halogen or other groups, to produce, among other 2l-esters, the acetates, propionates, butyrates, hemisuccinates, caporates, benzoates, trimethylacetates, phenoxyacetates, cyclopentylpropionates, phenylpropionates and fi-chloropropionates.

Alternatively, we can start from such 2l-esters of (I), described for the 16a-hydroxy compounds fiuorinated at C6a, and the ester group at C21 can then be hydrolyzed on the condensation product, for example by reaction with sodium methoxide in methanol solution at low temperature, under an atmosphere of nitrogen and under anhydrous conditions.

It is obvious that our invention can also be applied to the 6u-bromo compounds corresponding to Formula I, or to the analogs of the compounds of Formula I having a bromine atom at C-9a.

The following equation illustrates another method for the production of certain 6a-chloro compounds of the present invention. Of these compounds the 21-acetates of the l6oc,l7a-acetonides of 6a-chloro-9a-fiuoro-16a-hydroxy-hydrocortisone and of 60C-ChlOI'O-90L-flllOlO-160t-hydroxy-prednisolone are particularly remarkable as regards this transformation by refluxing with selenium dioxide in mixture with t-butanol, in the presence of catalytic In the above equation the symbols indicate the same group as before.

As starting materials in the method of the present invention we employed the 21-acetates of the 16,17-ketals and -acetals of 16u-hydroxy-hydrocortisone and of 160:- hydroxy-cortisone. By following the procedure of Fried et al. (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 80, 2338 (1958)), we prepared the 16,17-ketals and 16,17-acetals of 16a-hydroxy-hydrocortisone which were esterified and, optionally, the ,B-hydroxyl group at C-ll was oxidized to the keto group.

The starting compounds (XI) were converted into their 3-enol-ethers (XII) by reaction with ethyl orthoformate in mixture with dioxane and in the presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid. The enol-ethers were allowed to react with hypochlorous acid, using for this reaction N-chlorosuccinimide in mixture with aqueous acetone and in the presence of acetic acid and sodium acetate. Thus We produced the ZI-acetates of the 16a,17a-ketal or acetal of 6 8-chloro-9a-fiuoro-16a-hydrocortisone and of the corresponding hydrocortisone, represented by Formula XIII. The keto group at -3 was enolized again by the aforementioned reaction with ethyl forthoformate and the enol-ether group was hydrolized again by treatment with small amounts of dilute hydrochloric acid in mixture with acetic acid. This hydrolysis causes the inversion of the steric configuration at C-6 and there are thus obtained the desired 6ot-chloro compounds: the 21-acetates of the 16a,l7a-ketals or -acetals of 60t-Ch1OIO-90c-flll0IO-16othydroxy-cortisone or -hydrocortisone, represented by Formula XV.

An additional double bond can then be introduced between C-1 and C2 by microbiological methods, such as incubation with Colynebaczerizmz simplex ATCC 4964, or by purely chemical methods. We successfully effected amounts of pyridine and under an atmosphere of nitrogen. Thus we obtained the ZI-acetates of the l6a,l7a-ketals or acetals of 6a-chloro-9a-fluoro-16a-hydroxy-prednisolone or prednisone (XVI).

The following specific examples serve to illustrate but are not intended to limit the present invention.

Example I To a mixture of 3 g. of 6a-fluoro-A -pregnen-11,3,16a, 17a-21-tetrol-3,20-dione, 200 cc. of anhydrous dioxane and 10 g. of paraformaldehyde there was added 24 g. of anhydrous copper sulfate and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 24 hours and filtered; the solution was concentrated under reduced pressure, diluted with water and the precipitate was filtered; the product was extracted with methylene chloride, washed with water, dflEd over anhydrous sodium sulfate and evaporated to dryness. Recrystallization of the residue from ethyl acetate yielded the cyclic 16a,Not-(formaldehyde)-acetal of 60t-fill010- 1 6 a-hydroxy-hydrocortisone.

Example II By an analogous method to that of Example I, the 21- acetate of 6u-fiuoro-A -pregnen-11/5',l6a,l7u,21-tetrol-3, 20-dione was converted into the 2l-acetate of the cyclic 16a,17a-(formaldehyde) -acetal of 6a-flouro-16a-hydroxyhydrocortisone.

A suspension of 1 g. of the above compound in 10 cc. of absolute methanol was cooled to 0 C. and mixed with a solution of sodium methoxide prepared by dissolving 60 mg. of sodium metal in 10 cc. of absolute methanol and the mixture was stirred for 1 hour at 0 C. under an atmosphere of nitrogen; it was then poured into cc. of aqueous saturated sodium chloride solution containing 0.3 cc. of acetic acid and the hydrolysis prodnot was extracted with methylene chloride, washed with water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and evaporated. Recrystallization of the residue from acetonehexane afforded the cyclic 16a,17a-(formaldehyde)-acetal of 6a-fluoro-l6a-hydroxy-hydrocortisone, namely 16a,l7amethylenedioxy-6a fluoro-M-pregnen-l1,8,2l-diol 3,20- dione, which was identical with the compound obtained in accordance with Example I.

Example III Substituting in the reactions of the previous examples the paraformaldehyde for paraldehyde, there were obtained the cyclic 16a,17a-(acetal-dehyde)-acetals of 6afluoro-l6a-hydroxy-hydrocortisone and of its 2l-acetate, respectively.

Example IV In the method of Example 11 there was substituted 6afiuoro A -pregnen 113,16a,17a,2l-tetrol-3,20-dione 21- acetate for its propionate to produce, as an intermediate the 2l-propionate of the cyclic 16u,l7a-(acetaldehyde)- acetal of 6a-fiuoro-16u-hydroxy-hydrocortisone; the propionate group of this compound was hydrolyzed to the hydroxyl group by the treatment with sodium methoxide described in Example II.

Example V A solution of 3 g. of 6ot-chloro-9a-fluoro-A -pregnadien-16a,17a,2l-triol-3,l1,20-trione in 500 cc. of acetone distilled over calcium chloride was treated with 30 g. of anhydrous copper sulfate and stirred for 48 hours at room temperature; the solid was removed by filtration and washed with acetone and the combined filtrate and washings was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and evaporated to dryness, finally in vacuo. The residue was purified by chromatography on 60 g. of washed alumina, thus producing the acetonide, namely the cyclic 16a,17u isopropylidene-ketal of 6OL-ChIOI'O-9OL-flLIOIO-16ochydroxy-prednisone.

Example VI A solution of l g. of 6a,9oc-dichloroA -pregnen-16a, 17a,21-triol-3,11,20-trione in 100 cc. of acetone was cooled to C., mixed with 15 cc. of saturated acetone solution of dry hydrogen chloride, prepared from acetone distilled over calcium chloride, and the mixture was stirred for 10 minutes at 0 C. 4.5 g. of potassium carbonate in 100 cc. of water was cautiously added, followed by 500 cc. of saturated aqueous sodium chloride solution and the mixture was kept overnight at 5 C. The precipitate was collected, washed with cold saturated sodium chloride solution and then with a little water, air dried and recrystallized from aqueous methanol containing a few drops of pyridine. There was thus obtained the l6ot,17ocacetonide of 6u,9a-dichloro-16a-hydroxy-cortisone.

Example VII A stirred'mixture of 3 g. of 6a,9a-difluoro-A -pregnen- 11B,16a,17a,2l-tetrol-3,20-dione and 20 cc. of acetophenone was slowly treated at 0 C. with 0.5 cc. of 72% perchloric acid and the mixture was stirred at 0 C. for 1 hour. After pouring into water, the organic phase was separated, washed with Water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and the acetophenone was evaporated under reduced pressure. The residue was chromatographed on 60 g. of neutral alumina, thus yielding the cyclic 16a,l7ocmethyl-(phenyl)-ketal of 6a,9a-difluoro-l6a-hydroxy-hydrocortisone.

To a solution of l g. of the above compound in cc. of pyridine there was added 1 cc. of propionic anhydride poured into water and the acylation product was extracted with ethyl acetate, washed with water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and evaporated to dryness. Crystallization of the residue from acetone-hexane proand kept overnight at room temperature; the mixture was duced the 2l-propionate of cyclic 16a,l7a-(rnethyl-phenyl)-ketal of 6a,9a-difluoro-16u-hydroxy-hydrocortisone.

Example VIII of this application, as well as, in the esterification step,

any anhydride of a carboxylic acid having up to 12 carbon atoms referred to previously such as the benzoate and cyclopentylpropionate.

Example IX A suspension of 6 g. of 9a-fluoro-16u-hydroxy-hydrocortisone in 150 cc. of acetone was treated dropwise and under stirring with 1.5 cc. of 70% perchloric acid. The stirring was continued until the steroid entered into solution and then for 30 minutes further at room temperature; the solution was poured into 5% aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution and the precipitate was collected by filtration, washed with water and dried. The 16,17- acetonide of 9a-fluoro-16a-hydroxy-hydrocortisone obtained in this manner melted between 256 and 260 C. and was of sufiicient purity for its use in the subsequent acetylation. A small amount of the product was recrystallized from acetone-hexane to obtain the pure compound, M.P. 270273 C.

A solution of 6 g. of the 16,17-acetonide of 9a-fluorol6a-hydroxy-hydrocortisone in 48 cc. of pyridine was treated with 7.6 cc. of acetic anhydride and kept for 24 hours at room temperature. After pouring into ice water, there was collected the crude 21-acetate of l6a,l7et-isopropylidenedioxy c fiuoro A pregnen-llfiJl-diol- 3,20-dione, namely the acetonide of 9a-fiuoro-16a-hydroxy-hydrocortisone. The pure compound was obtained by recrystallization from acetone-hexane, and showed M.P. 246-247" C.; [ab +1523 (chloroform).

Example X A mixture of 3.5 g. of the 21-acetate of 16ot,17ociSO- propylidenedioxy 9a fluoro A pregnen-llfl,21-diol- 3,20-dione, obtained in accordance with the previous example, and cc. of 80% acetic acid was slowly treated under stirring with a solution of 600 mg. of chromium trioxide in 7 cc. of aceticacid and 7 cc. of water, maintaining the temperature below 20 C. After 2 hours the mixture was poured into water and the precipitate formed was collected, washed with water, dried and recrystallized from acetone-hexane. There was thus obtained the 21- acetate of the l6,l7-acetonide of 9a-fluoro-l6a-hydroxycortisone.

Example XI 16a,17u-ethylidenedioxy 9oz fluoro A pregnen-l 1B, 2l-dio1-3,20-dione, namely the 16,17-acetal of 9a-fiuoro- 16a-hydroxy-hydrocortisone, was prepared by condensation of the latter with acetaldehyde, following the procedure of Example IX. By acetylation, as described in Example IX, there was obtained its 2l-acetate. The hydroxyl group at C- ll was then oxidized to a keto group, in accordance with the method of Example X, to produce pregnen-21-ol-3,1 1 ,ZO-trione.

Example XII By substituting in the method of Example IX the acetic anhydride by propionic anhydride, there was obtained the 2l-propionate of the 16,17-acetonide of 9ot-fl11OI0-16ochydroxy-hydrocortisone and then, in accordance with the method of Example X, the 2l-propionate of the 16,17- acetonide of 9a-fluoro-l6a-hydroxy-cortisone.

Example XIII A solution of 6 g. of the 2l-acetate of the 16,17-acetonide of 9lx-fluoro-l6a-hydroxy-hydrocortisone in 48 cc.

of anhydrous dioxane was mixed with 6 cc. of ethyl orthoformate and 200 mg. of p-toluenesulfonic acid and the mixture was stirred until an emerald green color appeared, which took approximately 30 minutes; there was then added 5 cc. of pyridine, which caused the color to change to yellow. The mixture was poured into water, cooled and the precipitate was collected, washed with water, dried and recrystallized from methanol containing a little pyridine. There was thus obtained the 21-acetate of 3-ethoxy-16a,17a-isopropylidenedioxy 90: fluoro-A pregnadien-l1,6,21-diol-20-one, M.P. 2l4215 C.; [04] 4.9 (chloroform); A max. 290-2 mg and 294-6 my, log E 4.31 and 2.17.

A mixture of 5 g. of the above compound, 140 cc. of acetone, 1.6 g. of anhydrous sodium acetate and 16 cc. of water was cooled to C. and treated with 2.8 g. of N-chlorosuccinimide, followed by 1.6 cc. of glacial acetic acid, under continuous stirring. The mixture was stirred for 2 hours further at 0 C., then poured into water and the precipitate was collected, washed, dried and recrystallized from acetone-ether. There was thus obtained the 2l-acetate of 16a,17u-isopropylidenedioxy-6B-ch1oro-9afluoro-M-pregnen-l1B,21-diol-3,20-dione; M.P. 180-181 C., [a] +63.2 (chloroform); A max. 238 m log E 4.12.

3.2 g. of the above compound was treated with 24 cc. of dioxane, 3 cc. of ethyl orthoformate and 120 mg. of p-toluenesulfonic acid, as described above for the formation of the 3-ethyleneolether of the compound without the chlorine atom at C-6B; there was thus obtained the 21- acetate of 16a,17a-isopropylidenedioxy-3-ethoxy-6-chloro- 9a-fluoro-A -pregnadien-1lfl,21-diol-20-one, namely the 21-acetate of the 3-ethylenolether of the 16,17-acetonide of 6-Ch10IO-9a-fil10r0-1Ga-hYdIOXY-hYdIOCOI 150118; M.P. 183-184 C.; [a] +45.83 (chloroform); A max. 252 mp, log E 4.31.

A mixture of 3 g. of the above compound, 50 cc. of glacial acetic acid and 1 cc. of dilute hydrochloric acid was kept for 30 minutes at room temperature and then poured into water. The precipitate was collected, washed with water, dried and recrystallized from acetone-ether, thus yielding the 21-acetate of the 16,17-acetonide of 6w chloro-Qa-fluoro-16a-hydroxy-hydrocortisone; M.P. 155- 156 C.; [eth l-90 (chloroform); A max. 234-6 m log E 4.17.

A mixture of 1 g. of the above compound, 50 cc. of t-butanol, 0.5 g. of selenium dioxide and a few drops of pyridine was refluxed under an atmosphere of nitrogen for 48 hours. The solution was filtered through Celite, washing the filter with ethyl acetate, and the combined filtrate and washings was evaporated to dryness under reduced pressure. The residue was treated with water, the solid was collected by filtration, washed with water, dried and chromatographed on neutral alumina; there was thus obtained the '2l-acetate of the 16,17-acetonide of 6achloro-9a-fluoro-l6a-hydroxy-prednisolone; M.P. 298- 300 C.; [0L]D+53.5 (chloroform); A max. 238 m log E 4.17.

Example XIV In the method of Example XIII there was substituted the 2l-acetate of the 16,17-acet0nide of 9a-fll10IO-16ahydroxy-hydrocortisone by the 21-acetate of the 16,17- acetonide of 9a-fiuoro-16a-hydroxy-cortisone; thus there were obtained the compounds mentioned in Example XIII, but having a keto group at C-11 instead of the 1113- hydroxyl group.

Example XV In the methods of Examples XIII and XIV the 16,17- acetonides of the 21-acetates of 9a-fluoro-16a-hydroxyhydrocortisone and of 9a-fluoro-16a-hydroxy-cortisone were substituted by the respective 16,17-ketals formed with acetaldehyde. There were obtained the final 6a-chloro-9ufluoro-compouuds under the form of the 21-acetates of such acetals.

8 Example XVI wherein R and R are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and hydrocarbon of up to 8 carbon atoms, X is selected from the group consisting of fluorine and chlorine, X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, fluorine and chlorine, Y is selected from the group consisting of =0 and '11 Z is selected from the group consisting of a double bond between C-1 and C-2 and a saturated linkage between C-1 and C-2, and R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and a hydrocarbon carboxylic acyl group of up to 12 carbon atoms.

2. L,17oc-10W8I' alkylidenedioxy-6u-chloro-hydrocortisone.

3. The 21-monoesters of hydrocarbon carboxylic acids of up to 12 carbon atoms of 16a,17a-lower alkylidenedioxy-6e-chloro-hydrocortisone.

4. 16a,17a-l0Wer alkylidenedioxy-u-fiuoro-hydrocortisome.

5. The 21-monoesters of hydrocarbon carboxylic acids of up to 12 carbon atoms of 16m,17a-lower alkylidenedioxy-6a-fluoro-hydrocortisonc.

6. 16a,17a-lower alkylidenedioxy-6a-chloro-cortisone.

7. The 2l-monoesters of hydrocarbon carboxylic acids of up to 12 carbon atoms of l6u,l7a-lower alkylidenedioxy-6a-chloro-cortisone.

8. 16u,17a-lower alkylidenedioxy-6a-fluoro-cortisone.

9. The 21-monoesters of hydrocarbon carboxylic acids of up to 12 carbon atoms of 16a,l7a-1ower alkylidenedioxy-6u-fluoro-cortisone.

10. 160:,17oc-1OW61' alkylidenedioxy-6ot-chloro-prednisolone.

11. The 21-monoesters of hydrocarbon carboxylic acids of up to 12 carbon atoms of 16a,17a-lower alkylidenedioxy-Ga-chloro-prednisolone.

12. 160:,170t-10W61 alkylidenedioxy-6a-fluoro prednisolone.

13. The 21-monoesters of hydrocarbon carboxylic acids of up to 12 carbon atoms of 16a,17a-1OW61' alkylidenedioxy-6a-fluoro-predniso1one.

14. 160:,1711-10W61 alkylidenedioxy 6oz chloro-prednisome.

15. The 21-monoesters of hydrocarbon carboxylic acids of up to 12 carbon atoms of l6oc,l7or.-1OWr alkylidenedioxy-6a-chloro-prednisone.

16. l6ot,l7ot-lower alkylidenedioxy 60c fluoro-prednisone.

17. The 21-monoesters of hydrocarbon carboxylic acids of up to 12 carbon atoms of 16a,17a-loWer alkylidenedioxy-M-fiuoro-prednisone.

18. 16a,17a-lower alkylidenedioxy-6ot-chloro-9a-fluorohydrocortisone.

19. The 21-n1onoesters of hydrocarbon carboxylic acids of up to 12 carbon atoms of 16a,17ot-lower alkylidenedioXy-6ot-ch1or0-9a-fluoro-hydrocortisone.

20. 16,17u-10Wer alkylidenedioxy-6a-chloro-9u-fiuorocortisone.

21. The 2l-monoesters of hydrocarbon carboxylic acids of up to 12 carbon atoms of 16a,17u-lower alkylidenedioxy-6a-c'nloro-9a-fluoro-cortisone.

22. 16a,17a-lower alkylidenedioxy-6a-chloro-9u-fluoroprednisolone.

23. The 21-m0noesters of hydrocarbon carboxylic acids of up to 12 carbon atoms of 1606,1700-1OW6I alkylidenedioxy-6a-chloro-9a-fluoro-prednisolone.

24. 16a,17ot-lower alkylidenedioXy-6a-chloro-9wfiuoropredn-isone.

25. The 2.1-monesters of hydrocarbon carboxylic acids of up to 12 carbon atoms of 16u,17ct-lower alkylidenedioxy-6u-chloro-9a-fluoro-prednisone.

26. 16:,17a-l0wer alkylidenedioxy-6ot,9a-difluoro-hydrocortisone.

27. The 21-monoesters of hydrocarbon carboxylic acids of up to 12 carbon atoms of 16,170L-1OW31 alkylidenedioxy-6,9a-difiuoro-hydrocortisone.

28. 16ot,17ot-1oWer alkylidenedioXy-6a,9ot-difluoro-cortisone.

29. The 21-rnonoesters of hydrocarbon carboxylic acids of up to 12 carbon atoms of l6u,17oL-1OW6I alkylidenedioxy-6ut,9a-difiuoro-cortis0ne.

30. 16a,17a-lower alkylidenedioxy-6a,9a-difluoro-prednisolone.

31. The 21-monoesters of hydrocarbon carboxylic acids of up to 12 carbon atoms of 16a,17ot-lower alkylidenedioxy-6u,9et-difiuoro-prednisolone.

32. 1606,170L-W61' alkylidenedioxy-6a,9ot-difluoro-prednisone.

33. The 21-monoesters of hydrocarbon carboxylic acids 1% of up to 12 carbon atoms of 1600,17oc-1OW61 alkylidenedioxy-6a,9a-difluoro-prednisone.

34. The compound 16a,l7a-isopropylidenedioxy-60:,9adifluoro-l,4-pregnadiene-1 1,8,21-dio1-3,20-dione.

35. A compound of the following formula:

CH OR \wherein R and R are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower cyclic alkyl and monocyclic aromatic; R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and a hydrocarbon carboXylic acyl group of less than ten carbon atoms; Y is selected from the group consisting of B-hydroxy land keto; X is selected from the group consisting of fluorine and chlorine and X is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, fluorine and chlorine and Z is selected from the group consisting of a double bond between C1 and C-2 and a saturated linkage between C-1 and C-2.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Magerl-ein et a1. June 10, 1958 

1. A COMPOUND OF THE FOLLOWING FORMULA: 